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New Cheetah Lineage in India

October 8 , 2026 13 hrs 0 min 96 0

An Indian-born female cheetah, KJP21, gave birth to five cubs at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, marking the beginning of the Botswana lineage in India.
KJP21 is the third Indian-born female cheetah to reproduce, after Mukhi and KGP12.
The cubs’ father is a male cheetah brought from Botswana, making them the first Botswana-lineage cheetahs born in India.
India’s cheetah population has increased to 60, including 41 Indian-born cheetahs.
Nine cheetahs from Botswana (6 females and 3 males) arrived at Kuno in February 2026 to strengthen the genetic base of Project Cheetah.
Earlier, India brought 8 cheetahs from Namibia in 2022 and 12 from South Africa in 2023.